Search

Subnavigation

With inadequate sanitation accounting for health and economic losses of over 6 per cent of GDP improvements in sanitation and related hygiene behaviour has the potential to deliver huge economic benefits. These benefits would be most felt by the millions of people that make up the poorest sections of society. Investing in sanitation makes sound sense in terms of economics, society and human rights.

The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) in Nepal has committed itself to mainstreaming Water Safety Plans (WSPs) across all the country’s 75 districts. The country has significant water quality problems and the government is urgently seeking to address regular cholera outbreaks.

Nagpur, a city of about 2.5 million, is in Maharashtra in the centre of India. Total water supply to the city is 540 million litres per day with about 80% coverage (through 225,000 connections). The water supply system is progressively being upgraded to 24/7 supply and water security is being improved through large investments.

World Toilet Day paves the way for improved sanitation

Today, there are 2 billion people lacking access to toilet facilities and about half of these reside in South-East Asia, posing a particular health risk to females and children. Poor sanitation can lead to illnesses such as diarrhoea, typhoid, malnutrition and polio. Earlier this year, the United Nations emphasized the importance of sanitation and hygiene by declaring 19 November as World Toilet Day.